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Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Stella Damasus and Uche Jombo speak out against senate's decision not to pass Gender Equality bill

The bill
was thrown out by Nigerian senate yesterday and as expected people are
already speaking out. Nollywood actresses Stella Damasus and Uche Jombo
have lent their voices.

But come oh!! How come no male celeb is speaking in favour of the bill. Is it that they are secretly supporting senate's decision not to pass the bill? :-)

This is what Uche Jombo wrote........

Stella Damasus.....

I woke up this morning to a tweet from
my sweet friend and sister Kate Henshaw. The Nigerian Senate had voted
against the Gender & Equality Opportunity Bill. If you are reading
this and you have no clue what what the bill is about, Google it and
educate yourself before you continue this.

I was quick to respond to Kate,
expressing my disgust at the action of the Senators elected into power,
hoping they would make the right choices for the people who elected them
to have a better nation.

Over the next hour, thousands of people
started sending me tweets asking me to continue the fight and speak to
the Senators and urging me to stay on the matter and all what not. One
person said.. “You were very vocal in the #FreeEse campaign and we got
results. Get involved now for results”.

I must say that I am humbled by these
words but “I did not FREE ESE”, I only gave my voice to a cause to
support a family that identified the fact that they had a problem and
were willing to go to any length to get it solved. They needed the word
to be out there and I supported. I did not have boots on ground
personally to do anything, but they got up, they moved and to God’s
glory we got results. My point is, Ese’s family did not start and stop
their noise on Twitter and Facebook…they got up and moved! Also, a big
thank you to people on ground who took physical action.

More after the jump

How does this apply to this issue of the
Senators? Here we are again on Social Media screaming at the top of our
voices (or with the speed of our fingers) seated in the comfort of our
homes yelling at people who are flying around in private planes and
don’t care about what in the world we are shouting about. The don’t feel
any pressure because they don’t exist or live in the social media world
where we spend our time fighting virtual battles. We are quick to come
out and scream online but nobody wants to get up and be the scape goat.

A big shout out to my darling Kate
Henshaw who has never been afraid to take anybody on, face to face or
via social media as regards National and Social reformation issues .
Much respect to you my sister. Where are the others who have the
platform, status, fans, voice and the connections to pull global media
and call these shameless men to order?

Oh! I’m sorry! Nowhere to be found
right. This fight right here is not the place to showcase pictures of
trips around the world, designer clothes & shoes, luxurious homes,
academic achievements, awards, paparazzi, applause and self
glorification so only the non-high fliers like Stella Damasus & Kate
Henshaw should be sticking out their necks while others sit on the
sidelines and sip on their bottles of champagne, watching the drama
unfold. They look the other way because nobody wants to offend the
senators that will probably be available to attend their events,
premieres and launch of foundations; and possibly make huge donations.

I guess what people are doing is PICKING THEIR FIGHTS, which is a lesson I am learning these days.

A few years ago, I took Senator Yerima
on about the Child Marriage issue and I was left alone to deal with the
windfall of that episode. Some said I was seeking attention, others said
I was jobless and was trying to get back in the good books of people.
That didn’t stop me. When the Chibok girls were kidnapped, I called out
our First Lady at that time, asking questions about the funds allocated
by the US government to fight terrorism! It was reported by some media
houses in Africa that the US government was paying me to stir up
propaganda. No problem! I spoke publicly FOR MY COUNTRY but I suffered
silently and bore the consequences alone.

When my property in Abuja got burnt, what did the media say – IT WAS ALL MADE UP!

Why on earth should I keep sticking my
neck out when the women in the country we call our nation are not
interested in getting their hands dirty and doing the work. All the big
female stars and politicians are cruising in big cars and living in
their big houses, fully aware that this bill has no effect on them
whatsoever so why should they bother about sticking out their necks.
Their kids wont be given way as young brides. They own the homes they
live in so no in-law is coming to drag it with them if anything wrong
happens to their husbands. They are not waiting to inherit anything from
their husbands because they are well sorted out, so how on earth does
this affect them? Does this bill add more items in their walk-in
closets? I guess Nigerian women are not ready to get up and take a stand
so why should a couple of us just break our necks over an issue that we
as NIGERIAN WOMEN are not ready to FIGHT & STAND FOR?

Mothers, sisters, daughters, actresses,
singers, market women, female bankers, female politicians and every
other woman reading this; the choice is yours. Sit down and be ranting
on Twitter. Pour out your vexation on Facebook. Thats where it will end.
When the markets are closed. When the banks stay shut. When the schools
stay closed. When the men don’t get the loving at night! When the WOMEN
GO ON STRIKE, maybe the men will be forced to do what must be done.

Liberia did not get liberated through Twitter and Facebook. The women stood up and took a stand.

I live in America with my children and I
can guarantee you that this bill, passed or not, will have no effect on
me directly in any way shape or form but the truth is, when we all
choose to turn away, What kind of country are we leaving for the
generation coming behind?

Whats the point in all of this. I live
in America and I am still speaking up. What happened to all the big
shots living in Nigeria who have the voices and are LOOKING THE OTHER
WAY?

Lest I forget, it is very important that I say this…. SHAME ON THE SENATORS WHO VOTED AGAINST THIS BILL.